diff --git a/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.8 b/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.8
index e41f289c..eb004756 100644
--- a/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.8
+++ b/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.8
@@ -118,16 +118,16 @@ Specify the \fImode\fR to be used to format the device. Valid modes are:
 .IP full
 Format the entire disk with the specified blocksize. (default)
 .IP quick
-Format the first two tracks and write label and partition information. Use this
-option only if you are sure that the target DASD already contains a regular
-format with the specified blocksize. A blocksize can optionally be specified
-using \fB-b\fR (\fB--blocksize\fR).
+Format the first two tracks and write label and partition information.
 .br
-For thin-provisioned DASD ESE volumes, quick is the default mode. A full space
-release then precedes the formatting step. If this space release fails, dasdfmt
-falls back to a full-format  mode. Formatting stops if the space release fails
-and quick mode was specified explicitly using \fB-M\fR. Specify the
-\fB--no-discard\fR option to omit the space release.
+Use this option for DASD ESE volumes to take the benefits of thin provisioning.
+In this case, a full space release precedes the formatting step. If this space
+release fails, then the formatting also fails. Specify the \fB--no-discard\fR
+option to omit the space release.
+.br
+For non-ESE volumes use this option only if you are sure that the target DASD
+already contains a regular format with the specified blocksize. A blocksize can
+optionally be specified using \fB-b\fR (\fB--blocksize\fR).
 
 .IP expand
 Format all unformatted tracks at the end of the target DASD. This mode assumes
diff --git a/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.c b/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.c
index 2065e12e..a49e41c0 100644
--- a/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.c
+++ b/dasdfmt/dasdfmt.c
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ static void dasdfmt_find_start(unsigned int cylinders, unsigned int heads,
 	format_params->start_unit = first;
 }
 
-static int dasdfmt_release_space(void)
+static void dasdfmt_release_space(void)
 {
 	format_data_t r = {
 		.start_unit = 0,
@@ -1240,21 +1240,12 @@ static int dasdfmt_release_space(void)
 	int err = 0;
 
 	if (!g.ese || g.no_discard)
-		return 0;
+		return;
 
 	printf("Releasing space for the entire device...\n");
 	err = dasd_release_space(g.dev_node, &r);
-	/*
-	 * Warn or Error on failing RAS depending on QUICK mode set explicitly or automatically
-	 */
-	if (err && !g.mode_specified) {
-		warnx("Could not release space. Falling back to full format.");
-		return 1;
-	} else if (err && g.mode_specified) {
+	if (err)
 		error("Could not release space: %s", strerror(err));
-	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 static void dasdfmt_prepare_and_format(unsigned int cylinders, unsigned int heads,
@@ -1454,12 +1445,8 @@ static void do_format_dasd(volume_label_t *vlabel, format_data_t *p,
 			dasdfmt_prepare_and_format(cylinders, heads, p);
 			break;
 		case QUICK:
-			if (dasdfmt_release_space()) {
-				p->stop_unit  = (cylinders * heads) - 1;
-				dasdfmt_prepare_and_format(cylinders, heads, p);
-			} else {
-				dasdfmt_quick_format(cylinders, heads, p);
-			}
+			dasdfmt_release_space();
+			dasdfmt_quick_format(cylinders, heads, p);
 			break;
 		case EXPAND:
 			dasdfmt_expand_format(cylinders, heads, p);
@@ -1491,7 +1478,7 @@ static void eval_format_mode(void)
 	}
 
 	if (!g.mode_specified)
-		mode = g.ese ? QUICK : FULL;
+		mode = FULL;
 }
 
 /*